Firefly Aerospace's Alpha rocket is damaged in a severe accident during its launch. The incident occurred 2 minutes and 30 seconds after it lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base (California), on September 2, 2021.
Firefly Aerospace failed to reach the final frontier in its first attempt.
Firefly's Alpha rocket was launched today on the company’s first ever orbital test flight (Sept. 2). It lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California at 9:59 P.M. EDT (6.59 p.m. California time; 0159 GMT Sept. 3). The launch took place almost an hour after the initial attempt was abandoned late in the countdown.
The flight was uneventful for the first 2.5 minutes. The two-stage, 95-foot tall (29 meters) Alpha suffered a fatal issue, and exploded in a spectacular fireball high up in the California sky.
Video: Watch Firefly Aerospace light birthday candles using a rocket engine
"Alpha suffered an anomaly during the first-stage ascent, which resulted in vehicle loss." Firefly representatives stated via Twitter that more details would be available as we collect more information.
"Prior entering the countdown, Range cleared the pad, all surrounding areas, and Firefly staff and base staff to reduce risk to the public and Firefly employees. They added that they are still working with the Range and following all safety protocols in a second tweet.
It shouldn't be surprising that the rocket failed; it is difficult to get into space, especially with a new rocket. As Eric Berger of Ars Technica noted, Firefly's main competitors in small-satellite rocket launch business Rocket Lab and Virgin Orbit also failed their first orbital attempts.
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A DREAM deferred
Tonight's flight was carried Alpha's payload of 203 pounds (92 kg) on Firefly's DREAM mission. According to The Everyday Astronaut, the plan was to launch this gear into orbit at 186 miles (390 kilometers) above Earth.
DREAM's payloads contained a variety of memorabilia, submitted by schools and other educational institutions as well as a few small satellites. Firefly representatives stated via Twitter that the mission was designed to "capture humanity's dreams of the future space and inspire people around the world to dream big" on Tuesday (Aug. 31).
SpaceNews reports that some components from Firefly's Space Utility Vehicle (SUV), flew on Alpha tonight. The SUV is a solar electric space tug that can deliver payloads to various orbits. SpaceNews reported that the company wanted to test some of its hardware in space.
Not only Alpha
Alpha's march towards the launch pad began with Firefly Space Systems' founding in 2014. After a large investor left, the company declared bankruptcy in 2017. Firefly Aerospace was able to resurrect the company in spring 2017.
Firefly is now looking to capture a significant portion of the small-satellite market for Alpha. Firefly's specifications page states that the expendable rocket can carry 2,200 pounds (1,099 kg) of payload into low-Earth orbit for each $15 million mission.
Rocket Lab, which launched small payloads from its Electron booster since 2018, and Virgin Orbit (which now has two successful missions), are Firefly's main competitors in this space. Astra, which was sent into space last year on a test flight, has yet to launch a payload.
(Small satellites can also ride to orbit as secondary payloads aboard big rockets like SpaceX's Falcon 9). Smallsat launch companies claim that hitchhiking doesn't provide the exact orbital insertion that dedicated rockets can offer.
Firefly Aerospace's Alpha rocket is lifted into position at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, for a launch attempt on Sept. 2, 2021. Firefly Aerospace image credit
Firefly's Alpha and SUV are not the only ones. Firefly is also working on a larger rocket, called Beta, and a robotic lunar lander called Blue Ghost. These payloads will be delivered to NASA's lunar surface in 2023.
Firefly plans to also build a reusable spaceplan called Gamma that could launch satellites, provide superfast "point–to-point" transport here in Earth, and many other tasks.
Mike Wall is the author and illustrator of "Out There" by Grand Central Publishing (2018). This book is about the search for alien life. Follow him @michaeldwall. Follow us on Facebook @Spacedotcom and Twitter @michaeldwall
